timer

/ˈtaɪmə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · [tˈaɪmɚ] /ˈtaɪmər/ (ame, ipa) · [tˈaɪmɚ] /ˈtī-mər How to pronounce timer (audio)/ (ame, mw)

timer — noun

1. A small device that counts down from a time you set, and makes a noise or shows

1.名詞B1
釋義

A small device that counts down from a time you set, and makes a noise or shows a light when it reaches zero.

例句

Dahlia set the kitchen timer for twenty minutes while the bread baked.

collocation: set the timer for [duration]

The timer on Hao's phone rang loudly just as the train pulled in.

timer + on + device

同義詞
  • stopwatch

    counts up from zero rather than down; used mainly for sports

  • countdown clock

    more formal, often used for public events and launches

  • alarm

    signals at a set clock time, not after a duration

用法筆記

The everyday meaning — any small device or app that counts down and alerts you. Distinguish from sense 2, where the timer is built into a machine and controls when it runs.

常見錯誤

❌I looked at the timer to check what time it was.
✅I looked at the timer to see how many minutes were left.
💡A timer measures a set interval; a clock tells you the current time of day.
❌I used a timer to see how fast I ran the lap.
✅I used a stopwatch to see how fast I ran the lap.
💡A timer usually counts down from a chosen time; a stopwatch counts up from zero.

2. A control inside a machine such as an oven or heater that turns the machine on o

2.名詞B1
釋義

A control inside a machine such as an oven or heater that turns the machine on or off at times you choose.

例句

The oven timer turned the heat off after exactly one hour.

oven timer for automatic shut-off

Tamar set the heating timer to warm the flat before she got home.

set + timer + to-infinitive (purpose)

同義詞
  • time switch

    more technical; emphasises the electrical switching mechanism

  • controller

    broader term — can manage temperature or speed, not only time

  • scheduler

    usually refers to software, not a physical device

用法筆記

Only used for a timer that is part of a larger machine or system. The object is always an appliance or installation (oven, heater, lights, sprinklers), never a person.